The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-05-07
Editorial 8riefs.
BY REV. I. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

contemporary does not relish such dish.
| What is the sense in putting up with
loosely defined and merely incipient Uni
versalism, when exactly defined and full
grown Universalism may be had in any
desired quantity, on application? Get the
best, brethren, and go to headquarters
for it. Universslism is just like the gos-
pei Of which it is "the spirit and drift;"
the purer it is the better, and the more
you have of it the eurer you are of its
truth and divinity.
- The address delivered by Secretary
Lamar ON the occasion OF unYeiling a
monument to John. G. Calhoun, in
Charleston, gives one a very favorable
idea OF both the orator and his subject.
A certain moral elevation in Mr.. Calhoun
assigns him a unique place among the
politicians and statesmen OF his era. He
was in error on some points, and he was
right on some; but the quality of his
mind and his manhood entitle him to
honor and admiration. Mr.. Lamar re-
wives, in the style, breadth of view, thor
OuSAACSo Ol uIOhblA0Au lUd5iCIy Va
the subject, the best traditions Of mortu.
ary eloquence.
1T is a pleasant conviction which
supports our Swedenborgian brethren.
They think, as one of their number
expresses it, that "we are now in the
evening twilight OF the church founded
by Christ and his apostles" The old or
ganism of Christianity is becoming eff
fete. The church is in her dotsge In
this belief our Swedenborgisn friends are
in happy accord with various sects OF un-
| believers. We hear SpirituaIists, Tnger-
soilites, Nihiiista, and certain others of
the same kindred, saying the same thing.
| 1t is a common precious faith they have.
Yet the grounds of graduation over the
alleged decadenee of the old church are
very different in the two cases.
| The classes last named are enemies
not alone of certain forms of our religion,
| but of Christianity in all forms. But it
is Joy to the Swedenborgian to think
that the old Church is passing away only
because the new Church signifed, by the
new heavens and the new earth, describ-
ed by John, is TO take it's place. He be-
lieves that the little sect OF the church of
the New Jerusalem is to come in and re-
place all the old sects and rencvate Chris
fffanfty. II must be conceded thaf ne mas
great faith. The probability of the event
he foresees is about as strong as that
Wilford Halls astronomy will supersede
Isaac Newton's.
\ We enjoy the careful and artistic
work Mr.. Howells is doing in the Harper,
but We do not enjoy the literary religion
he breaches. And he breaches it to every
member. He is so fond of his dogma
that he is never weary of pTopoupding it.
His great canon for works of fiction is,
true to life. AS much of actual life is
low and vicious, this kind OF truth is, of
course, included. What we principally
object to in Mr.. Howells preaching is,
that the style of life he seems to have in
mind and is most forward to defend, is
the life most highly favored with indel-
icaey and immortality. Personally free
from such elements, we are at loss to
understand why Mr.. Howells considers
himself called to be their advocate.
President Patton says the opposition
to the policy OF the Prudential Committee
of the American Board is not the action
OF "a set of eoneeited upstairs" nor is it
the too eager meddling of ineoneider-
ate youth. It is "an old mems revolt
against intolerance" DR. Pattons position
seems to be well supported by the facts.
Such men as Drs. Hopkins, Porter, Fish
er, Dwight, Harris, Smyth and Lyman
Abbott, cannot plead youth in excuse of
their opposition to the Boards policy.
But whether it is the old or the young
men who are in opposition it is clear that
they are in the right, on Congregational
principles. A Congregational board fix
ing the standard of orthodoxy for Con-
gregational ministers and churches is a
palpable conflict of practice with profess
sion.
The question to be settled by the
outcome of the controversy between the
Western Conference of Unitarians and
those who. prefer the basis of the Unita-
rian Association is, according to Mr.. Saw
age, whether Unitarians shall be "a grand
church or a little sect" If this be the
question, one can but smile at the SIM
plicity of Mr.. Savage in thinking that it
insures the making of "grand church
of the Unitarian body to have it removed
from Christian and theistic basis to one
strictly ethical. There is not a single
instance in human history of grand
church built on such foundation. There
are, however, several shining instances
of little-veFy ittle-sects differentiated
and sub-sected by that method.
We hear much of what people in
these days viii and will not stand Legis-
lation and teaching and preaching we are
told, must conform TO what +" the people,
will endure. This is putting means for end.
Would it not be well for us all to remem-
ber that the people will have to stand
the truth? The people do not make either
the conditions or the laws that finally
settle all questions. God makes them.
We must all come down to truth and
fact. The people, and their teachers,
should make il their first business to find